Jeillo Edwards (23 September 1942 – 2 July 2004) was a Sierra Leonean actress, who is notable in the history of black actors in Britain. She was the first woman of African descent to study drama at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She went on to be one of the first black actresses to be cast in a mainstream UK television drama series – Dixon of Dock Green, and for more than four decades performed on British television, radio, stage and films.
Biography
Jeillo Angela Doris Edwards was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, one of six children, and she attended the Annie Walsh Memorial School.
Edwards appeared in cameo roles in many British television comedy programmes, including The League of Gentlemen, Absolutely Fabulous, Red Dwarf, Black Books, Spaced and Little Britain, in which she had been planned to appear in the second series before her death.
As well as acting she was a school governor and owned a restaurant called Auntie J's in Brixton.
Jeillo Edwards died in London on 2 July 2004, at the age of 61. She had suffered chronic kidney problems.